Since Massachusetts still has Dirty Coal Power Plants such as Brayton Point, we all share the responsibility.
You probably already know that 300,000 West
Virginians are without usable water. On
Thursday morning or before, up to 7,500 gallons of a coal
preparation chemical leaked into the Elk River just upstream of the WV American
Water system intake. That evening, America Water began notifying
customers in nine counties not to use the water for anything other than flushing
toilets or fighting fires. The situation is both a state and federal emergency,
with schools, restaurants, and several businesses closed.
Authorities have declined to predict a date that clean water
service will be restored, but it will be at least days from now.
On Friday, Coal River Mountain Watch staff and volunteers collected water samples and began delivering clean water to
the affected area. Can you please
contribute to the relief effort? Also providing assistance are
our friends at Aurora Lights, OVEC, Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, and
others.
Our office, volunteer house, and staff are
all outside the affected area. However, friends, family, and much
of the Coal River community are affected. Our board vice-president
reports that she did not receive the call from American Water until 8:00 a.m.
Friday, long after her family had already been exposed.
Will you please
donate to help us get water to people who need it? Please write "water
relief" in the notes section, or otherwise donate to support our ongoing
work. Much of what we're delivering is clean tap water, so we can
use more large containers (water barrels, 5-gallon water jugs, etc.).
If you live in or near Raleigh County and have suitable containers to
donate, please contact our volunteer coordinator at strangur@graffiti.net.
This disaster is not an isolated
incident. Chemical spills and coal sludge spills are not unusual. Decades of
failure to enforce even basic safety measures are taking their toll.
Please sign this petition demanding effective regulation of
the industry that puts our lives in danger every day. And please
share with your friends to raise more opposition to mountaintop removal and
related threats to our health and safety.
One last thing, but it's very
important. The US Congress is considering a "fast track" bill to facilitate the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) trade deal, which was negotiated in secret without congressional
members having full access to the details. The fast track bill
would allow quick approval of the TPP without debate or amendment.
Among other things, TPP would create tribunals governed by international
corporations. These tribunals could nullify US, state, and local
laws if they determine that those laws (such as environmental and food safety
laws) would cause a loss of profit for corporations. Please sign
this petition, and please call your US
Representative and Senators to urge them to oppose the Fast Track
bill and the TPP.
We
appreciate your support. Please consider a donation to
support our water relief efforts, or a small monthly recurring donation to
sustain our ongoing work. And please like us on Facebook to follow frequent updates. Thank
you!
Vernon
Haltom, Executive director, Coal River Mountain Watch
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